13 Museums & Other Locations The Government Shutdown Has Affected In A Big Way

As the government shutdown drags on, even more government-funded sites are seeing closures. On Wednesday, the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo joined a growing list of sites that have been shuttered after their unused funds from the previous year ran out. But they're not alone — more than a dozen places were forced to close because of the government shutdown.

Much of the government is still funded — and up and running — including the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services, Labor, Education, and Veterans Affairs. They're funding doesn't expire until October of 2019.

The same can't be said for the Department of the Interior, the Department of Justice, or the Department of Homeland Security, home to many government agencies critical to the country's security.

In general, the longer the shutdown lasts, the more services will be affected. The list could definitely keep growing.

Smithsonian Museums

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Smithsonian museums tried to use leftover money to stay in business during the holidays, but they finally closed Wednesday. This affects eleven museums and galleries on the National Mall, and six other museums in the area.

The National Zoo

The same goes for the National Zoo, as it's run by the Smithsonian. Don't worry about the animals, though. Essential employees will be going to work, and the animals will be fed.

The DEA Museum

Washington DC's Marriage Bureau

Most of the DC courts are open, to some degree, but one office has notably been shut. Anyone looking for a marriage license in DC will have to wait for the shutdown to end. The Marriage Bureau is closed.

Joshua Tree & Yosemite Campgrounds

Joshua Tree National Park is not closing in its entirety, but certain areas are as toilets reach capacity. That includes the campgrounds. "The park is being forced to take this action for health and safety concerns as vault toilets reach capacity," the National Park Service said in a statement. "In addition to human waste in public areas, driving off-road and other infractions that damage the resource are becoming a problem."

The Clinton Center

The Bush Library

For those looking to visit the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Center — and now the gravesite of 41 — they'll also need to wait for the shutdown to finish. The two exceptions to presidential library shutdowns are George W. Bush's and Ronald Reagan's; the research centers at both are closed, though.

The National Archives

Most of the presidential libraries are run as part of the National Archives. The main facility in Washington D.C. is also closed. That means you can't see the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, or other important documents if you're in town visiting. Researchers are also affected.